The present invention relates to roof tiles and more particularly to such tiles which interlock when laid in side by side overlapping relationship to form a roof tile layout.
Conventional interlocking fiat roof tiles have a generally rectangular shape with upper and lower surfaces, opposite side edges, top edges, and bottom edges. These tiles may be made from a variety of materials such as clay, polymer bound aggregates, and cementitious materials such as concrete. The cementitious mixture may include sand, or another aggregate, cement, coloring pigment, water, and one or more other additives to facilitate extrusion, prevent growth of fungus, etc. A variety of roof tile designs and manufacturing methods are illustrated in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,671 (Fifield et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,214,895 (Fifield), U.S. Pat No. 5,490,360 (Fifield et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,502,940 (Fifield), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,059 (Fifield), the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Interlocking roof tiles are often arranged in successive rows of roof tile elements, with the bottom edge of each row overlapping the top edge of a lower row along the roof line. The roof tile layout formed in this manner defines an effective moisture barrier and an aesthetically pleasing appearance. In an effort to improve the aesthetic appearance of such a roof tile layout, some tile installers stagger the successive roof tiles in each row by positioning alternate roof tiles lower or higher on the roof than the directly adjacent roof tiles. This approach is problematic, however, because it is difficult to align the staggered tiles properly. Further, the interlocking and overlooking edges of the roof tiles become exposed when specific tiles are lowered or raised relative to the directly adjacent tiles.
Accordingly, there is a need for a roof tile layout and a system for manufacturing roof tiles that provide for a more effective means by which a staggered roof tile layout may be created. Further, there is a need for such a system and layout that enables efficient manufacture of such roof tiles and efficient and accurate installation of such a roof tile layout.
This need is met by the present invention wherein two complementary roof tile designs, a process and apparatus for manufacturing the complementary roof tiles, and a roof tile layout including the complementary designs are provided.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a process of manufacturing roof tiles is provided comprising the steps of: (i) extruding a composite ribbon such that the composite ribbon defines an upper surface, a lower surface, and a pair of opposite ribbon side edges; (ii) conveying the composite ribbon from an upstream position to a downstream position along a composite ribbon path; (iii) demarcating the composite ribbon into an alternating succession of a first roof tile type and a second roof tile type by engaging the composite ribbon with an upstream cutting blade and a downstream cutting blade such that each roof tile type is demarcated at an upstream tile edge by one of the cutting blades and at a downstream tile edge by the other of the cutting blades, and such that a selected one of the roof tile types includes a pair of cut-out portions demarcated along one of the upstream and downstream tile edges, the pair of cut-out portions being positioned on opposite ones of the ribbon side edges; (iv) separating the succession of demarcated roof tile types into distinct roof tiles; and (v) curing the distinct roof tiles to form a set of cured roof tiles.
Preferably, the composite ribbon is demarcated such that (i) the first roof tile type includes a first set of nail holes spaced a first distance from one of the upstream and downstream tile edges and a second set of nail holes spaced a second distance from the first set of nail holes along the composite ribbon path; (ii) the second roof tile type includes the pair of cut-out portions and a first set of nail holes spaced the first distance from one of the upstream and downstream tile edges. The composite ribbon may be further demarcated such that the pair of cut-out portions extend the second distance from the other of the second roof tile type upstream and downstream tile edges along the composite ribbon path, whereby the spacing between the first and second sets of nail holes on the first roof tile type along the composite ribbon path matches the extent of the cut-out portions on the second roof tile type along the composite ribbon path. The composite ribbon may be demarcated such that the nail holes extend partially or completely through the composite ribbon between the upper surface and the lower surface. The demarcating step preferably comprises engaging the composite ribbon with the upstream cutting blade and the downstream cutting blade substantially simultaneously and conveying the cutting blade assembly in a direction parallel to the composite ribbon path as the demarcating step is executed.
The process of manufacturing roof tiles may further comprise the steps of (i)conveying a succession of partially cured roof tiles of alternating roof tile types and (ii) stacking said alternating roof tile types in succession to form a cubed product wherein each layer of the cubed product includes equal quantities of the two different roof tile types.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for manufacturing roof tiles is provided comprising a composite ribbon extruder, a conveying mechanism, a cutting blade assembly, a pallet conveying path, and a roof tile curing station. The composite ribbon extruder is arranged to extrude a composite ribbon defining an upper surface, a lower surface, and a pair of opposite ribbon side edges. The conveying mechanism is arranged to move the composite ribbon from an upstream position to a downstream position along a composite ribbon path. The cutting blade assembly includes an upstream cutting blade and a downstream cutting blade arranged to demarcate the composite ribbon into an alternating succession of a first roof tile type and a second roof tile type by engaging the composite ribbon with the upstream cutting blade and the downstream cutting blade. Each roof tile type is demarcated at an upstream tile edge by one of the cutting blades and at a downstream tile edge by the other of the cutting blades. A selected one of the upstream and downstream cutting blades includes a pair of L-shaped cut-out extensions arranged to demarcate a pair of cut-out portions along one of the upstream and downstream tile edges on opposite ones of the ribbon side edges. The pallet conveying path is defined by a succession of demarcated roof tile types separated into distinct roof tiles by the conveying mechanism. The roof tile curing station is positioned along the pallet conveying path and is arranged to cure the distinct roof tiles to form a set of cured roof tiles.
Preferably, the cutting blade assembly further comprises first, second, and third sets of nail hole punches. The first set of nail hole punches is spaced a first distance from a selected one of the upstream cutting blade and the downstream cutting blade. The selected cutting blade includes the pair of L-shaped cut-out extensions. The second set of nail hole punches is spaced a second distance from the first set of nail hole punches along the composite ribbon path. The third set of nail hole punches is spaced the first distance from the other of the upstream cutting blade and the downstream cutting blade. The pair of L-shaped cut-out extensions preferably extend the second distance along the composite ribbon path from the other of the upstream cutting blade and the downstream cutting blade, whereby the spacing between the first and second sets of nail hole punches along the composite ribbon path matches the extent of the cut-out portion along the composite ribbon path. The first set of nail hole punches may be arranged such that the nail holes extend through the composite ribbon between the upper surface and the lower surface.
The apparatus for manufacturing roof tiles may further comprise a stacking assembly arranged to convey a succession of partially cured roof tiles of alternating roof tile types and stack the alternating roof tile types in succession to form a cubed product wherein each layer of the cubed product includes equal quantities of the first tile type and the second tile type.
The upstream cutting blade and the downstream cutting blade may be mechanically coupled to each other for joint movement in the direction of the composite ribbon. Further, a cutting assembly conveyor may be arranged to convey the cutting assembly in a direction parallel to the composite ribbon path.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for manufacturing roof tiles is provided comprising a composite ribbon extruder, a conveying mechanism, a cutting blade assembly, a pallet conveying path, and a roof tile curing station. The composite ribbon extruder is arranged to extrude a composite ribbon defining an upper surface, a lower surface, and a pair of opposite ribbon side edges. The conveying mechanism is arranged to move the composite ribbon from an upstream position to a downstream position along a composite ribbon path. The cutting blade assembly includes an upstream cutting blade and a downstream cutting blade arranged to demarcate the composite ribbon into an alternating succession of a first roof tile type and a second roof tile type by engaging the composite ribbon with the upstream cutting blade and the downstream cutting blade. Each roof tile type is demarcated at an upstream tile edge by one of the cutting blades and at a downstream tile edge by the other of the cutting blades and each of the roof tile types define substantially different roof tile structures. The pallet conveying path is defined by a succession of demarcated roof tile types separated into distinct roof tiles by the conveying mechanism. The roof tile curing station is positioned along the pallet conveying path and is arranged to cure the distinct roof tiles to form a set of cured roof tiles.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, a roof tile is provided comprising an upper surface, a lower surface, a top edge, a bottom edge, an underlocking side edge, an overlooking side edge, a pair of nail holes provided in the upper surface and spaced a first distance from the top edge, and first and second generally rectangular cut-out portions. The first generally rectangular cut-out portion is formed along the underlocking side edge and extends from the bottom edge in the direction of the top edge. The second generally rectangular cut-out portion is formed along the overlooking side edge and extends from the bottom edge in the direction of the top edge. The first cut-out portion and the second cut-out portion extend substantially the same distance from the bottom edge along the respective side edges.
The upper surface may be substantially planar and the lower surface may be contoured. The pair of nail holes may extend partially or completely through the roof tile between the upper surface and the lower surface. The first cut-out portion may be formed substantially within an underlock portion formed along the underlocking side edge. Similarly, the second cut-out portion may be formed substantially within an overlock portion formed along the overlocking side edge.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, a roof tile is provided comprising an upper surface, a lower surface, a top edge, a bottom edge, an underlocking side edge, an overlooking side edge, a longitudinal tile axis extending from the bottom edge to the top edge, and first and second sets of nail holes. The first set of nail holes is provided in the upper surface and is spaced a first distance from the top edge. The second set of nail holes is provided in the upper surface and is spaced a second distance from the first set of nail holes along the longitudinal tile axis. The first set of nail holes and the second set of nail holes are preferably aligned along the longitudinal tile axis.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, a staggered roof tile layout is provided comprising a plurality of roof tiles arranged in series of tile rows, wherein at least one of the tile rows includes an alternating succession of a first roof tile type and a second roof tile type. The first roof tile type comprises an upper surface, a lower surface, a top edge, a bottom edge, an underlocking side edge, and an overlocking side edge. The second roof tile type comprises an upper surface, a lower surface, a top edge, a bottom edge, an underlocking side edge, an overlooking side edge, a pair of nail holes provided in the upper surface and spaced a first distance from the top edge, and first and second generally rectangular cut-out portions. The first generally rectangular cut-out portion is formed along the underlocking side edge and extends from the bottom edge in the direction of the top edge. The second generally rectangular cut-out portion is formed along the overlooking side edge and extends from the bottom edge in the direction of the top edge. The first cut-out portion and the second cut-out portion extend substantially the same distance from the bottom edge along the respective side edges.
The underlocking side edge of the first roof tile type engages an overlooking side edge of an adjacent tile of the second roof tile type. The overlooking side edge of the first roof tile type engages an underlocking side edge of an adjacent tile of the second roof tile type. The underlocking side edge of the second roof tile type engages an overlooking side edge of an adjacent tile of the first roof tile type. The overlooking side edge of the second roof tile type engages an underlocking side edge of an adjacent tile of the first roof tile type.
The first cut-out portion of the second roof tile type extends from the bottom edge of the tile of the second type as far as the bottom edge of an adjacent tile of the first type. The bottom edge of the adjacent tile of the first type is substantially aligned with a top-most extent of the first cut-out formed in the tile of the second type and is substantially misaligned relative to the bottom edge of the adjacent tile of the second type. Similarly, the second cut-out portion of the second roof tile type extends from the bottom edge of the tile of the second type as far as the bottom edge of an adjacent tile of the first type. The bottom edge of the adjacent tile of the first type is substantially aligned with a top-most extent of the second cut-out formed in the tile of the second type and is substantially misaligned relative to the bottom edge of the adjacent tile of the second type.
Preferably, the first roof tile type further comprises a longitudinal tile axis extending from the bottom edge to the top edge, a first set of nail holes provided in the upper surface and spaced a first distance from the top edge, and a second set of nail holes provided in the upper surface and spaced a second distance from the first set of nail holes along the longitudinal tile axis. The first set of nail holes and the second set of nail holes are preferably separated along the longitudinal tile axis by a distance that is equal to the extent of the first and second cut-out portions along the respective tile edges. The roof tiles of the first and second types may define substantially identical lengths from the respective top edges to the respective bottom edges, such that respective top edges of the first roof tile type and the second roof tile type are misaligned along the tile row.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, a cubed product is provided comprising a plurality of stacked layers of roof tiles of a first roof tile type and a second roof tile type, wherein each layer of the cubed product includes equal quantities of the first tile type and the second tile type, wherein said cubed product defines a series of columns and rows of the first roof tile type and the second roof tile type, wherein adjacent roof tiles in each of the columns comprise different roof tile types, and wherein adjacent roof tiles in each of the rows comprise different roof tile types. The first roof tile type and the second roof tile type define respective show surfaces and each roof tile may include a groove formed in the respective show surfaces. The position of the groove in a tile of the first roof tile type differs from a position of the groove in a tile of the second roof tile type.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide roof tiles, a roof tile layout, and a system for manufacturing roof tiles that enables arrangement of a more effective staggered roof tile layout. Further, it is an object of the present invention to do so through more efficient manufacturing and installation processes. Other objects of the present invention will be apparent in light of the description of the invention embodied herein.